The Table in the Corner

Regulars tend to claim a table. The corner one by the window goes first, then the small one under the clock. Nobody assigns them; people just keep coming back to the same chair.

There is sense in it. A familiar seat means fewer decisions on arrival and fewer surprises once seated. The light is known, the draft is known, the view of the door is known. With the surroundings settled, the mind has more room for the newspaper, the crossword or the person across the table.

At home the same idea applies. A chair that is always the reading chair, a lamp that is always on in that spot, a side table where the glasses always rest. Fixed places save small searches, and small searches add up over a day.

If your corner is taken one afternoon, sit somewhere new. A change of view now and then is good for noticing things too.